As our world accelerates toward the connection of human consciousness made possible by the ever-increasing capability of the Internet and the applications that sit on top of this “platform”, the intellectual capital contained within ideas, inventions, new processes and methodologies will become more valuable on a global basis.

If you’ve got the next, great Web 2.0 idea; a process you’ve figured out how to make more efficient; a disruptive or creative innovation you’ve figured out how to take to market; or are trying to understand where you should be investing for the next couple of decades; you really owe it to yourself to understand what the smartest people are doing in the realm of intellectual property and capital…

…or risk missing out on the next great wave of investment or a patent troll suing you for infringement.

I’ve written before about the possible patent troll Nathan Myhrvold (though the jury is still out on his actual troll status). Myhrvold has been working toward “cornering the market” on some aspects of intellectual property by patenting as many ideas and processes as possible…and then licensing them or preparing to do so. Even though he’s expressed that he’s taking the high road where trolls fear to tread, I’d bet that his firm (Intellectual Ventures) will take advantage of what the patent trolls are doing if the opportunity arises (suing a company that might be infringing on a patent they purchased from some other inventor, etc.).

How can you make money on intellectual property and — if you’re an inventor, an entrepreneur or involved in managing your company’s patent portfolio — what do you need to be aware of going forward in a world where patent trolls may prevail?

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